Google Pay 99+ $899 Apple Aug 31 • Your phone screen is gross. Here’s how to clean it Authentication Best Buy Credit, debit, loyalty and gift cards Now playing: Watch this: 41 countries worldwide 29 countries worldwide Android phones with NFC and HCE support running KitKat (4.4) or higher Availability (see note below) Which one wins? Ultimately, choosing one of these payment systems is tied to your ecosystem and availability in your location. For Apple users, your only choice in the real world is Apple Pay, while Android users must use Google Pay. Samsung owners can choose between Samsung Pay or Google Pay — you can have both on your phone, but you will need to set one as the default and change that setting if you want to use the other. For sheer compatibility across the widest range of terminals, Samsung Pay wins because of MST technology. But paying in supported apps and websites is most seamless with Apple Pay, and Google Pay offers the most flexible way to pay friends, regardless of what phone they use. Editors’ note: This article was previously published on June 12, 2018. It is consistently updated with new information.Best phones of 2018: CNET editors pick the phones with the best cameras, screens and battery life. Mobile payments in the US still suck: Here’s why. iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9 Plus: Photos from our comparison Best laptops for college students: We’ve got an affordable laptop for every student. Best live TV streaming services: Ditch your cable company but keep the live channels and DVR. $899 Aug 31 • Verizon vs AT&T vs T-Mobile vs Sprint: Choose the best 5G carrier FaceID or fingerprint Now playing: Watch this: Where can you use? Works with NFC, magnetic stripe or EMV terminals, in-app purchases Samsung Galaxy phones since the Galaxy Note 5, Gear Watch and Gear Watch Active, Gear S2 and S3 Comments Credit, debit and loyalty cards 24 countries worldwide Apple Pay 4:32 Apple Pay vs. Samsung Pay vs. Google Pay See It Apple Pay is available for browser payments in Safari, and you’ll need to authenticate with your fingerprint or FaceID. You can do this from an iPhone or iPad; a MacBook Pro with fingerprint support; or a Mac and verify with an iPhone or Apple Watch. Google Pay offers browser payments as well in Chrome, Safari and Firefox, but not many online stores use it yet. Samsung Pay and Google Pay work on the 340,000 sites that use Visa Checkout, if you’re shopping from your phone. Chase Pay users also have the option to link their wallets with Samsung Pay.All three services also work when checking out in several apps. Advantage: All three Check your Apple Pay Cash balance through the Wallet app. Jason Cipriani/CNET Peer-to-peer payments Apple Pay and Google Pay are the only two services that let you pay friends. Samsung Pay does not currently have a peer-to-peer option. With Apple Pay Cash, you can send money to contacts with Apple IDs through iMessage. Unfortunately, that means you’re cut off from anyone who doesn’t have an Apple device. Money can be stored on your virtual card in the Wallet app or you can withdraw to your bank account. Apple Pay Cash is only available in the US for now. You can pay any phone number or email address from the Google Pay app on iOS, Android or from the desktop interface. (This was previously found in the Google Pay Send app.) Like Apple Pay, you can keep a balance or withdraw to your bank account. Paying friends through Google Pay is available in the US and coming soon to UK users.Advantage: Google Pay $611 Fingerprint, PIN, pattern or password See It Wide variety of banks: full list here Apple iPhone X Wide variety of banks: full list here; PayPal Amazon Wide variety of banks: full list here; PayPal Works with NFC terminals, in-app and web purchases Tags Preview • iPhone X: We’ve already got one. Here’s what it’s like. With regards to availability, once you’ve added your cards to one of these mobile wallets you should be able to use them in any country that accepts contactless payments, as long as you would normally be able to use your physical card in that location. In the case of Samsung Pay, that also includes any terminal with a magnetic card reader.When you make a transaction with Samsung Pay, you’ll see a transaction notification pop up. Lexy Savvides/CNET Technology and availability Apple Pay and Google Pay use NFC, or near-field communication, to power contactless payments. Just tap your phone to a compatible terminal and the transaction is complete. Samsung Pay uses NFC and a technology called magnetic secure transmission (MST). When you hold the phone against any terminal, it emits a signal that simulates the magnetic strip on a card. This means it works with pretty much all terminals, without the merchant having to update their point of sale systems. The one situation where MST won’t work is when you need to insert a card into a slot, like at a gas station. Offline payments are also supported on all three platforms, so you can make a limited number of transactions if you have no cell or Wi-Fi signal. You are also able to use these mobile wallets to tap and go on public transit systems in various cities around the world.Advantage: Samsung Pay Security Mobile payment systems use a method called tokenization to keep card details secure. Once you add your cards to the app, it generates a virtual account number and your real card number is never given to the merchant. When you tap your phone to make a payment, it sends the tokenized card number and a cryptogram that acts like a password. The card network then verifies and processes the payment. Apple requires you to authenticate using TouchID (fingerprint), FaceID or PIN before a payment can go through. Samsung requires an iris scan, fingerprint or PIN to confirm purchases. But Google Pay only needs your phone to be unlocked with fingerprint, password, pattern or PIN before transactions can go through. If you lose your phone, all three allow you to remotely wipe the device which will also remove all your card details. Advantage: Apple Pay (though TouchID is still more convenient than FaceID) The Google Pay interface on a phone. Google Other ways to pay You’re not only tied to the phone. Here’s how you can also use them: Apple Pay: Apple Watch (in stores); on the iPad and Mac (for online purchases). Google Pay: on some Android Wear watches. Samsung Pay: Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, S2 and S3 (but MST support is only available on the Gear S3). Mobile payments are a mess. Here’s why See it Review • iPhone X review: This iPhone XS predecessor is still a contender $949 Mentioned Above Apple iPhone X (64GB, Space Gray) Which banks? Samsung Pay Mobile payments comparison See It CNET may get a commission from retail offers. Compatible devices 7:31 38 Photos Boost Mobile Apple iPhones since the SE, Apple Watch, MacBook Pro with TouchID, iPads since 5th generation, iPad Pro and iPad Mini reading • Apple Pay vs. Google Pay vs. Samsung Pay: Mobile payments compared Cards Aug 31 • iPhone XR vs. iPhone 8 Plus: Which iPhone should you buy? Fingerprint, PIN or iris Works with NFC terminals, in-app purchases and web purchases in Safari • See All Mobile payments could soon make your wallet obsolete by allowing you to pay with just the tap of your phone or smartwatch. But they’ve had a slow roll-out and not all options are made equal. The three most established systems are from Apple, Samsung and Google, although some wearables from brands such as Garmin and Fitbit also offer their own payment systems. So how do Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay compare, and which one is more widely accepted right now? Share your voice Credit, debit, loyalty and gift cards Aug 31 • iPhone 11, Apple Watch 5 and more: The final rumors Fitbit Target Apple Pay Garmin NFC Google Samsung Apple Phonesread more

Russia expressed confidence that the long delayed concluding agreement with India on the joint production of the fifth generation fighter aircraft can be signed this year.The two countries signed an initial contract in 2010 to build the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, however, they have not been able to agree to the final terms of the contract.”We are in the final stage of negotiations for the FGFA contract,” United Aircraft Corporation’s (UAC) Yuri Slyusar told the press at the ongoing Aero India airshow in Bengaluru, according to a Reuters report.The Indian RequirementsThe quibble relates to how the Indian version of the Russian-designed Sukhoi T-50 will differ from the Russian model, and over the amount of technology the Russians are willing to transfer. A Russian T-50 fighter lands at an airfield of the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturing plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. A new fighter aircraft seen as Russia’s response to U.S. advances in military aviation made a successful first test flight, plane maker Sukhoi said.ReutersPrime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that India was no longer satisfied with weapon deliveries or assembling, and added that transfer of technology to local companies and production within India would be a clause attached to the lucrative deals.India is expected to spend as much as $250 billion over the next decade in modernising the defence forces and the equipment.Aero India 2015″We think there is a possibility to sign the agreement within 2015. At least the Russian side think it will be done in 2015,” Slyusar said.Meanwhile, the ageing fleet of Russian-made MiGs and French Mirage fighter jets are now being replaced with India-made Sukhoi Su-30s and its upgradations.The French are eager to see the ink dry up on the contract to supply 126 Dassault Rafale, which has been stuck over Dassault unwilling to offer the necessary guarantees for localised production of the fourth generation fighter jet.Fifth Generation Fighter AircraftThe FGFA aircraft possess more advanced design and build, which equips the aircraft with significant stealth capabilities and would provide operators with deep penetration hits in enemy territory.”FGFA planes are important in terms of future capability,” Air Force Chief Arup Raha said on Thursday, at the Bangalore air show. Russian Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA jet fighter lands after a demonstration flight at the MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow.ReutersRuha noted that a firm timeline for the closing of agreement was difficult to forecast.There are a total of five fifth-generation fighter jets in existence – the US-based Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II (the world’s most expensive defence programme ever), both combat-proven, though the F-35 has been plagued with issues.China has developed the J-11 and the J-20 FGFA, which could end up in the Pakistani fleet, who would be unable to persuade the Americans to sell them.The Russian Sukhoi T-50 forms the final name in the short list. The initial design has been agreed between the two nations in 2013, and they continue to work on the detailed design.In December, during his visit to the country, Russian President Vladmir Putin said that Russia would continue to remain India’s top defence partner.read more

Argentina vs Chile should be a cracker of a match ReutersTwo-time World Cup champion Argentina will take the field on July 6 against Chile for the third-place match of the Copa America 2019, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Argentina went down to Brazil 2-0 in their semi-final clash whereas Chile was handed a shocking 3-0 defeat by Peru.Lionel Messi-led Argentina lost 2-0 to Brazil in the semi-final which was a much-awaited clash. The La Albiceleste were the better team on that night but luck was not on their side. They went into attack a lot of times but could not hit the back of the net, instead, they hit the crossbar twice. Messi’s Copa dream took another hit and he has to wait for the 2023 Copa America to again try and win. Argentina had performed poorly throughout the tournament but they became much more organised in the semi-final and performed well. They will seek redemption against Chile as the latter beat them in the finals of the last two editions of the tournament.On the other hand, Chile were handed a shocking defeat by Peru. The La Roja have been performing pretty well at the starting of the tournament but their performance started to deteriorate as the tournament progressed. But they did not expect a loss against Peru and they had the better possession. They even missed a penalty in the dying minutes of the match. They will look forward to again beat Argentina and settle for the third spot.The Argentina-Chile match will start at 4 PM on July 6, according to local time and 12.30 AM, July 7, according to IST.Global TV listings and Live streamTelemundo: USAPremier Sports 1: UKStream: Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, ESPN+, Premier PlayerHow to watch in IndiaThere has been a huge disappointment for Indian football fans as the tournament will not be telecast in the country. Fans can watch the live stream by using free VPN services and download apk’s like Navixsport. The application cannot be downloaded from any play store but it is available online for free. It can be downloaded by simply searching on Google. Two search results will come, one for Android and another for iOS. The viewers have to go inside the website according to their requirements, click on free download and enjoy the match.read more

Obaidul QuaderRoad transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday directed engineers of the roads and highways division to repair within 24 hours the roads that are now in poor conditions.The minister issued the directive so that the people do not suffer while going home for Eid vacation.Read more: 2 major highways witness huge tailbackObaidul Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was exchanging views with the executive engineers of the roads and highways division, Khulna zone, at Jessore Circuit House.The minister said the repairing works should be done at night so that daytime movement of vehicles is not affected in any way.As the engineers demanded enhanced security measures at night, Quader spoke to the inspector general of Khulna range of the highway police and assured them of security during the repairing works.read more

Election CommissionApart from expressing his ‘embarrasment’ and ‘regret,’ the Chief Election Commisioner (CEC) has failed to take any effective action against the violence and attacks on opposition leaders ahead of the national parliamentary election. Jatiya Oikya Front leader Kamal Hossain in a press briefing on Sunday alleged that the EC did not investigate or take any effective measures in response to the attacks on the leaders and activists of Oikya Front.Incidentally, a case has been filed against several leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League’s 14-party alliance over the attack on Kamal Hossain’s motorcade on 14 December.Syed Abu Bakar Siddik of Dhaka-14 constituency filed the case on Sunday. Asked about the proceedings, deputy police commissioner of Mirpur Division Masud Ahmed told Prothom Alo, the police have started investigating the attack. “Efforts are underway to arrest the persons involved in the incident, “ he added. Individuals involved in the electoral process expressed their apprehensions that a fair election would not be possible if such atrocities continued. They called upon EC to take necessary action to stop the violence and attacks on rival candidates immediately. The chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda, however, told the media on Sunday that everything was under control.He expected to hold a completely fair election. There have been attacks and violent incidents in more than hundred different places across the country. In most of the cases, Jatiya Oikya Front leaders and activists are victims of such attacks conducted allegedly by ruling AL activists. So far, the poll-time violence claimed two lives, both of whom are AL activists. There have been attacks in the campaigns of BNP leaders including the party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Afroza Abbas, Mahbub Uddin and Oikya Front leader Abu Sayeed. BNP and Oikya Front leaders have file official complaints to EC everyday. Also, the Left Democratic Alliance filed complaints to the EC alleging that its campaign in Dhaka-12,13,14, Patuakhali-4, Kushtia-3 and Satkhira-1 have been obstructed several times. EC, on the other hand, said an electoral inquiry committee comprising joint district judges, assistant judges and executive magistrates are working on preventing pre-election irregularities. EC assured that effective action would be taken against those responsible or involved in attacks and violence. No visible action has been taken yet. According to electoral code of conduct, it is forbidden to obstruct the rallies, campaign and meeting of the opponent candidates. Those who violate the code of conduct will be sentenced to six months in jail or Tk 50,000 fine or both, the rules further dictate. According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 122 electoral inquiry committees were constituted on 25 November, in coordination with the joint district judge and assistant judge.If anyone appeal is submitted to the election commission or if any allegations are filed regarding pre-election irregularities, this can be sent on to the electoral inquiry committees. But for immediate action, these allegations can be sent to the returning officers or presiding officers or law enforcement agencies for action. Yet, the EC only refers to the election committee. The law enforcement agencies also remain inactive till now.EC secretary Helaluddin recently told the media that the inquiry committee carries out investigation and found no evidence of violence or irregularities in several constituencies. However, the secretary did not clarify in which constituencies they conducted the investigations.The election commissioner Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury told BBC Bangla, the EC is monitoring these incidents very seriously and violence is not acceptable in any circumstance. The EC ordered the police force to take stern action and several officers have been transferred already, Chowdhury added. CEC also mentioned the electoral inquiry committee on Saturday. He admitted that it would take time to get the investigation report. CEC has promised to send a letter with directives to the police to prevent such violence.read more

Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesWhite House economic adviser Gary Cohn and communications director Hope Hicks have both announced they are leaving the Trump administration in the coming weeks.President Trump insists his isn’t a White House in chaos, but it’s hard to deny the near constant churn of key aides, including Tuesday’s announced departure of economic adviser Gary Cohn. A full 43 percent of top-level positions in the Trump White House have seen turnover. That is not normal.In fact, the Trump White House has had more turnover among senior aides in the first 13 1/2 months of Trump’s term than his four most recent predecessors had after two years.“After two full years, President Obama was at 24 percent and President Bush was at 33 percent,” said Kathryn Dunn Tenpas of the Brookings Institution and the White House Transition Project, whose research specialty includes staff turnover. “So, [Trump] already passed them with his first-year turnover. It continues to surge.”In the hours before Cohn’s resignation was announced, Trump foreshadowed a shake-up.“Yeah, there’ll be people — I’m not going to be specific — but there’ll be people that change,” Trump said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. “They always change. Sometimes they want to go out and do something else.”One would note he was speaking of “people,” plural, as in multiple expected departures. Trump tweeted much the same Tuesday morning.The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong! People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018In addition to Cohn’s departure, several other staffers have recently left or announced their imminent resignations. Communications director Hope Hicks and Jared Kushner advisers Josh Raffel and Reed Cordish have all announced their departures while staff secretary Rob Porter was ousted after allegations of spousal abuse came to light.A big question now is: Who will be next? Cohn had assembled a team of policy aides who helped craft the White House infrastructure plan and tax framework. With Cohn leaving, will they stay? History would indicate that when someone at Cohn’s level leaves, others follow.“It’s a domino effect. When a senior person leaves, there are other people that leave as well,” Tenpas said. “Kind of by necessity because the new person isn’t necessarily going to want to work with them.”And if the swirl of Washington chatter is accurate, Cohn isn’t the only big-name White House official on the knife’s edge. Chief of staff John Kelly, national security adviser H.R. McMaster and adviser/son-in-law Kushner are all reportedly earning the ire of the president.As of Jan. 20, the one-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, turnover in top-level White House positions was off the charts, double that of President Ronald Reagan’s first year and more than triple the rate of President Barack Obama’s first year. Since then, there has been turnover in another six senior-level positions that Tenpas tracks.“This is an environment that is not suitable for governing. You need people with institutional knowledge, you need expertise,” said Tenpas. “There’s vacancies on top of vacancies.”Typically, there is much more staff turnover in a president’s second year in office than in the first. There was some question of whether in the case of Trump, there had been so many departures in the first year that the pattern would be different and the exit door would swing more slowly in his second year. It is now clear that isn’t the case.“It looks as though turnover continues,” Tenpas said. “People are moving to new positions. A lot of people are resigning or leaving. It’s unclear when this will cease or whether it’s just a continuous process with President Trump.”Why so much turnover? Trump admitted his White House isn’t an easy place to work because he fosters an environment of conflict.“It’s tough,” Trump said. “I like conflict. I like having two people with different points of view. And I certainly have that. And then I make a decision. But I like watching it. I like seeing it.”In Cohn’s case, he was often on the losing end of those policy debates. Trump insisted in a tweet that he will be easy to replace. “Many people wanting the job — will choose wisely!” Trump wrote.Tenpas has data going back to Reagan’s presidency and, in an effort to make apples to apples comparisons, only tracks certain senior positions that have equivalents across administrations. In the Trump administration, she is tracking 65 positions. But turnover in each position only counts once, and if someone changes jobs or gets a promotion, they are not counted twice.This means that in Tenpas’ data set, outgoing communications director Hope Hicks is only counted once and the five changes in the position of communications director don’t count five times. In a way, she is undercounting in the name of consistency, and still, Trump’s White House is shattering records.Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Shareread more

Diwali comes in happy boxes and baskets at Hyatt Regency Delhi’s Sidewalk. This year Sidewalk has taken a selection of traditional Indian sweets, homemade chocolates, nuts and more to create a celebratory gift hamper! Go ahead and make this festival of lights truly a festival of delights! Sidewalk has made the decision to choose a hamper for your loved ones easy. The flavour of this Diwali season is a blend of traditional and contemporary; the brightly coloured and beautifully packaged hampers will leave a lasting impression. They come in three different sizes in both contemporary and traditional designs. You can also create your own hamper. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’Where: Sidewalk, Hyatt Regency Price: Rs 1750 – 4550 Spread happiness this Diwali with specially crafted gift hampers from Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort. Cherish relationships and create new bonds on this auspicious occasion with an array of bespoke treats. From chocolates to contemporary-style diyas, to an assortment of finely crafted gourmet delicacies, guests can also tailor their own gift basket as per their need.Where: The Old Baker @Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixPrice: Rs 3500 – 4500 + taxesShangri-La’s – Eros Hotel, celebrates the festival of joy with an array of Diwali hampers from UNO2GO, the hotel’s patisserie. Gift your loved ones the bespoke Diwali Hampers, available in an exclusive assortment or tailor made to their very own special composition of delectable joys. It has created an elegant, sophisticated and contemporary four choices of hampers called – Jade Hamper, Diamond Hamper, Macaroon trinket box and Gold Hamper. Exclusive bespoke Hampers are available and can be personalised based on one’s requirements. Where: UNO2GO, Shangri-La’s – Eros Hotel Price: Rs. 2500 plus taxes onwardsFilled with tons of treats and gifts as The Imperial gives you a choice to select yours hamper with or without wine! From chocolates, signature souvenirs to gourmet favourites, there is a range of carefully selected eats and memorabilia, handpicked to create lasting pleasures. Pick up yours for your loved ones.Where: The Imperial Price: Rs 6000 – 8000 + taxes Living up to the vibrancy of the festive season, Eros Hotel, Nehru Place, presents an array of breathtaking Diwali Gift Hampers with an exquisite assortment. So create your very special composition of delectable joys and surprise your loved ones with a unique hamper that has been crafted especially for them! The gift hampers have been customised according to the needs and exude impeccable style and innovations. They offer hampers in various range and sizes – Superior Box, Traditional Indian Box, Tea Box, and Premium Wine Box.Where: Eros Hotel, Nehru PlacePrice: Rs 1,999 – 3,499Gift your near and dear ones , the finest expression of love this festive season with the Diwali hampers brought by Mithai Shop, Sheraton New Delhi. It includes – delicious nut and raisin, farmlite oat and almond, Kitchens of India – mango saffron, Dark Fantasy vanilla biscuit, KOI strawberry and mint, Dark Fantasy choco biscuit, moong dal halwa, KOI dal bukhara, matar paneer, paneer darbari and a lot more. Where: Mithai Shop, SheratonPrice: Rs. 5000 – 7500read more

The way women are often portrayed on television helps accentuate the traditional roles at the expense of their sexual satisfaction, says a study.Media portrayals teach women to be passive participants in their relationships and prioritise the desires of others – particularly men – instead of prioritising their own desires, said Rita Seabrook from the University of Michigan in the US.The study, published in the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly, showed that college women who frequently watch television tend to endorse the gender roles that are portrayed often on TV. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfEndorsement of these roles – which are called gendered sexual scripts – results in some women having less confidence about using condoms and more shameful feelings about their sexual experience.Being confident and proud of one’s sexual experiences “conflicts with gendered expectations that women should abstain from sex except in limited circumstances,” she said.The study sampled 415 undergraduate women who described themselves as sexually active heterosexuals. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveThey indicated the number of hours of TV (live or online) and reality TV watched weekly, and disclosed if they believed the programming reflected daily life.Questions also focused on relationships, attitudes towards women, sexual beliefs, gender roles and how participants rated their emotions.”Women who reject traditional gender norms face backlash for failing to adhere to the culture’s expectations for them,” Seabrook said. “Thus, adhering to gendered sexual scripts may protect women from perceived and actual judgment at the expense of their sexual satisfaction and sexual well-being,” Seabrook said.read more

Adam PoulterOn-demand aggregator Vubiquity and TV2U Worldwide have teamed up to work together to roll-out transactional video on demand (TVoD) services in Asia and the Middle East.As part of the deal, TV2U will act as Vubiquity’s affiliate in up to seven markets. Vubiquity will provide the international programming to these new TVOD services, as well as content processing and ongoing promotional support for the content.The full list of countries covered by the deal comprises Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Australia and United Kingdom. Further countries may be added to the agreement at a later date.In these territories, TV2U will provide its video-distributor clients with an TVoD solution, including a platform with single login access for end-users to buy and stream films and TV series.According to Vubiquity, this allows TV2U’s clients including telecommunications customers, Government organisations, and large media entities to offer their customers access to premium movies from the major Hollywood studios, as well as dramas, comedies and kids content from US and European TV networks.These new services will enable end-users to stream premium devices including smartphones, tablets, PCs, smart TVs and set-top boxes.“We’re proud to be working with TV2U. The developing world is an important source of growth for the video on demand industry, and we are focusing on capturing the market in these booming regions,” said Adam Poulter, managing director of Vubiquity.“At Vubiquity, we have been busy launching some of the first-ever video on demand services in Africa and Eastern Europe and are nicely placed to provide a robust, high-quality content services in these under-penetrated markets. We are one of the first companies to take top international films and TV series to consumers in these countries.”read more

Bob IgerThe Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has sidestepped speculation around a potential move for SVOD giant Netflix, but admitted direct-to-consumer models were creating “really interesting opportunities”.Disney was linked to a multi-billion dollar deal for Netflix last month, leading to intense speculation about a takeover.Questioned directly about interest in Netflix and social media platform Twitter on an investors call yesterday, Iger declined to comment. However, he noted a recent US$1 billion investment in on-demand technology company BAM was an indication of increased business in the D2C space.“Well, obviously we’re not going to get specific about that [Netflix link], but we think there’s some really interesting opportunities, given what’s going on from a technological perspective, to both improve our businesses and also improve the consumer experience by selling directly to consumers,” he said.“The purchase of BAM was designed just to do just that. Whether there will be more or not, I can’t really say, except to say that we’re obviously interested in the opportunity that exist today to have more direct relationship with the consumer.”Elsewhere on the call, Iger declined to provide new detail on his retirement plan upon the end of his current contract in 2018.COO Thomas Stagg was expected to replace him, but he threw succession plans into doubt when he exited earlier this year.“The board has discussed succession at every meeting that the board has had in the last few years,” he said.“I don’t think there’s necessarily a need for the board to provide any more details publicly about the process, except to say the process is ongoing, it’s robust, and we’re all confident that it’s going to result in the board choosing not only the right candidate, but the right candidate on a timely basis.Iger also said political attempts at a smooth transition from incumbent president Barack Obama to Donald Trump this week were encouraging, and that Disney had already prepared a bust of the Republican president-elect to go in the Hall of the Presidents at Disney World.Hollywood is currently assessing how Trump will treat the US entertainment business when he becomes president next year. He has been hugely critical of the media, which he accused of systematically attempting to make him lose the American election to Democrat Hilary Clinton.“It’s really too early to speculate about what the changes in Washington are going to mean for our business or for businesses,” said Iger. “We have, though, been exhorting Washington both the executive and the legislative branches to take a look at the current tax policy of the United States, particularly the corporate tax rate, and to close more loopholes but lower the corporate tax rate.“We are no longer competitive with the rest of the world in that regard and that must be addressed. It’s possible that, given what’s gone on this week, that that’s likely to be addressed sooner rather than later. That’s obviously a good thing.”read more

The lines between pay TV and OTT are becoming increasingly blurred. While pay TV operators and OTT content and app providers still in many cases see each other as competitors, cable and IPTV providers are increasingly looking to open up their platforms to OTT providers via partnerships in order to help sell broadband access. Examples include the numerous cable and telecom service providers in Europe that have done deals with Netflix.Others – notably satellite pay TV broadcasters ­– still see OTT as a threat rather than an opportunity. However, to make the picture more complex, these broadcasters are increasingly branching out by launching their own complementary OTT services, targeting a different audience in order to head off the threat presented by pure OTT players and expand their subscriber bases.Finally, content owners and channel providers are themselves getting involved in the distribution business by launching OTT packages, either as an alternative to pay TV distribution in markets where opportunities for the latter are lacking, or to complement pay TV services.DTVE recently surveyed over 140 senior industry participants from 48 countries, including OTT service providers, triple and quad-play operators, pay TV channel providers, IPTV service providers, free-to-air broadcasters, cable operators and DTH operators, to find out how they viewed emerging models for pay TV, OTT and content providers.The resulting report, which is now available to download free of charge, provides a fascinating insight into how pay TV and OTT providers view the challenge and opportunities of competing or collaborating to attract subscribers.read more

Advertisement Swedish carmaker Volvo Car Corp has said that it will start selling vehicles online as it rolls out new models to compete with German luxury rivals such as BMW.The company will gradually introduce web sales and spend more on digital advertising, it said as it outlined changes to its global marketing strategy on Monday.“The plan is to have all our car lines in all our markets offered digitally,” Volvo sales chief Alain Visser said in an interview.“We don’t see a car distribution network without dealers in the foreseeable future,” he said, adding that vehicles sold online “will still pass through the dealer network” for delivery. – Advertisement – Volvo raised its 2014 sales goal in August as it launched a revamped XC90 crossover, the first vehicle developed under Zhejiang Geely Holding Group ownership.With its flagship SUV and other models to follow, Volvo is ratcheting up the gadgetry and glitz to woo Chinese customers without losing sight of core attributes including safety and uncluttered Scandinavian design.80 percent of Volvo customers already shop online for other goods, the sales chief added, and research suggests many will do the same for cars in future.But some analysts such as Stuart Pearson of Exane BNP Paribas remain skeptical, citing weak orders from experimental online sales of the BMW’s i8 hybrid sports car.“BMW has tried it in Germany, but they really haven’t had a huge amount of volume,” Pearson said. “People still want to go into dealers.”Source: indepredent.ieread more